Intactivism: Week in Review June 18, 2011

by Tally on June 18, 2011

Parents, protect your babies. Support intactivism. The following list includes blogs, articles, and websites of interest to Intactivists that were published in the past week. This is a running tally of the ones I found interesting.

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Herald Sun Australia:Crowe snips circumcision tweets
"Circumcision is barbaric and stupid. Who are you to correct nature?" Russell Crowe tweeted. Crowe reached out to his Jewish friends to reject circumcision and that is when the press had a field day, calling Crowe antisemitic. He removed many of the tweets because he did not want anyone to think he was mocking other's rituals and traditions.

End Routine Infant Circumcision:Why Circumcision Does NOT Slow The Spread of HIV
The average person should know that safe sex (condoms), monogamy, and knowing one’s HIV status are by far the most effective ways of slowing the spread of HIV. Although male circumcision is touted to reduce HIV, men must still wear a condom to protect themselves. Male circumcision gives a false sense of security, causing many to forego wearing a condom.

Monday, June 13, 2011

Life as a Reader:MGM (Infant Circumcision) and Parents' Rights
It is illegal to tattoo a person under the age of 18, and a parent can get in serious trouble for tattooing their young child. But we allow parents to cut off a part of a baby boy's penis. Parents have rights and responsibilities in their children's lives, but those rights are not without limits. Those limits need to be extended to the issue of male genital cutting (infant circumcision).

Male Circumcision and HIV:Intactivism, Anti-Semitism, and Foreskin Man
The problem with the Foreskin Man comic is an outsider, depicted as the Aryan looking hero, swooping into another community, depicted as Jewish, and shaping things their way. "Outsiders imposing their will on a community is just bullshit. The change must come from within (joined by others) if it is to come at all. Matthew (Foreskin Man author) completely failed to understand this."

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

International Journal of Epidemiology:Male circumcision and sexual function in men and women: a survey-based, cross-sectional study in Denmark
Study found that circumcision adversely impacts both men and women.Background One-third of the world’s men are circumcised, but little is known about possible sexual consequences of male circumcision. In Denmark (∼5% circumcised), we examined associations of male circumcision with a range of sexual measures in both sexes.Results . . . circumcised men reported more partners and were more likely to report frequent orgasm difficulties after adjustment for potential confounding factors, and women with circumcised spouses more often reported incomplete sexual needs fulfilment and frequent sexual function difficulties overall, notably orgasm difficulties and dyspareunia.ConclusionsCircumcision was associated with frequent orgasm difficulties in Danish men and with a range of frequent sexual difficulties in women, notably orgasm difficulties, dyspareunia and a sense of incomplete sexual needs fulfilment.

Gurardian:Time to ban male circumcision?
The UK Guardian asks, "isn't it time to oppose all circumcision?" Finally, a mainstream media article that takes a sensible look at male genital cutting. It had to be one outside the US, though. The Guardian notes that the sexual damage caused by female and male genital cutting can be extensive. "Both male and female genital cutting can have profound psychological consequences. Circumcised women often experience trauma, stress and anxiety, and can have relationship problems. Some circumcised men describe feelings of loss, anger, distrust, and grief, while others have reported problems with subsequent intimacy, long-term post-traumatic stress disorder, and a sense of powerlessness."

Beyond the Bris:On Circumcision, Authority and the Perpetuation of Abuse
A Jewish man describes his botched circumcision. His erections are tight and painful because too much skin was removed during his infant circumcision. He believes male infant circumcision is barbaric and needs to stop. He is working as an intactivist and has a news site.

DanNation.org:The SF Circumcision Law: Nathan Exposed On Foreskin Exposed (NSFW)Nathan Exposed writes about the proposed circumcision ban in San Francisco. The circumcision ban gives the rights to the male whose penis is subject to circumcision. It is the male who has the right to a whole body. There is no parental right to cut off part of their baby's sex organ. He tells those that do not like foreskins to not sleep with an intact man.

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

HolyPost:Jackson Doughart: Are opponents of circumcision anti-Semitic?
I agree with the author that the notion that intactivism is intrinsically anti-Semitic is ridiculous. If anything, the movement has generally avoided criticizing the religious justifications for circumcision and has instead focused on eliminating cultural circumcision.He makes the point that the many who practice and believe in removing a part of the healthy sex organ of a child could be considered perverse and not, as many suggest, those who fight to leave the sex organs of babys alone.

Should I Circumcise?:Is Intactivism antisemitic?
The answer is . . . NO! "There is nothing inherently antisemitic about wanting to save innocent babies from having part of their penis chopped off." The author is a circumcised man who discusses how circumcision impacts those who realize what they lost from having part of their sex organ removed at birth. He feels anger toward the doctors that cut him. He can relate to a person feeling anger toward a mohel, but that is not antisemitism. It is anger directed to a perpetrator of a genital cutting.

Intactivists Blog:In Response to All Fooked Up
A post about another blogger who had her son circumcised because she thought he would never get a blowjob if he was not circumcised. Such a foolish woman. She judges her son's (and all other men's) penis and they are not good enough for her. They need to be surgically altered to meet her definition of being "blog job worthy." I bet her son, when he grows up and reads his mother's blog, will end up wishing she had left him whole and intact. Many young men today feel that way after they learn of the harm caused them by circumcision.

IAIN HALL's Sandpit:Intact genitals are a human right
Circumcision of male infants is tantamount to the most cruel child abuse. It is an unnecessary mutilation of a most vulnerable person, often done without anaesthetic.

Dr. Akilah El:Male Circumcision Originally Created To Prevent Masturbation
A brief history of circumcision, which was promoted in America in the 1800's as a way to curb the sexual appetite. Many say that circumcision does not affect masturbation because they think they still masturbate a lot. Most circumcised men have no basis of comparison and their statement that circumcision has not affected their masturbation is unsupported. After I started restoring my foreskin, I noticed that I masturbate more often, even while having a satisfactory sex life. Having a foreskin makes masturbation very easy. I do not need to use lube like I used to. The gliding action of the foreskin stimulates me in a way that I never could without a foreskin. I have whole body orgasms when masturbating with my restored foreskin. I never had them before I started restoring. Male circumcision really does impact masturbation.

The Jewish Chronicle Online:Circumcision critic has Board linksJewish Journal:Circumcision critic has Board links
A Jewish woman who called for circumcision to be banned is an associate of the Board of Deputies for New West End Synagogue. Time to ban male circumcision? said: “Men, too, can be victims of unjust hegemonic systems tolerated in the name of tradition, culture or religion. If we oppose female genital mutilation, has the time not come for us also to oppose male genital mutilation?”

Joseph4GI:Jewish LGBT Leaders Against SF Circ Ban - Ignorance or Hypocrisy?
A critique of the recent news that Jewish LGBT (gay, lesbian, bi-sexual, transgendered) leaders are speaking out against the restriction on underage circumcision in San Francisco. Joseph points out how their viewpoint is oftentimes inconsistent and contradictory. For example, "how far does the Jewish LGBT community support a 'parent's right' and 'religious freedom'? Would they support a parent's 'right' to submit their son to electro-shock therapy to make him 'straight'? After all, it says so in the Torah that gays are an abomination to 'g-d,' and that they should be stoned to death."

Friday, June 17, 2011

Male Circumcision and HIV:DENMARK: Circumcision associated with sexual dysfunction in men and women
A report of the recently published Danish study that shows male circumcision increases sexual dysfunction in both men and women. "Circumcision was associated with frequent orgasm difficulties in Danish men and with a range of frequent sexual difficulties in women, notably orgasm difficulties, dyspareunia and a sense of incomplete sexual needs fulfilment."

Examiner:New study: male circumcision and sexual difficulties for men and female partners
A European study of the sexual side-effects from circumcision revealed a surprising number of conditions and ailments associated with circumcision. In addition to complications, there is now data that shows male circumcision is associated with sexual dysfunction in both men and women who have sex with circumcised men.

Viceland:Matthew Hess wants to save your baby's foreskin
An interview with Matthew Hess, the man behind the Foreskin Man comic book. Hess provides good information regarding his motivation behind the Foreskin Man graphic novels. He is not antisemitic, but only wanted to show how the circumcisers would appear to a young child who is having a healthy part of his body cut off. Hess also discusses the ill effects of circumcision and foreskin restoration to undo some of the damage caused by male circumcision.

Saturday, June 18, 2011

Life as a Reader:Sexual Dysfunction and MGM (Circumcision)
A recent Danish study found that male circumcision has adverse effects for men by reducing their sexual pleasure. The blogger asks why is there no study in the United States on how male circumcision affects sexual pleasure. Since the medical industry promotes male circumcision, they should have studies showing how great male circumcision is. But there are no such studies. Hmm. Maybe because the medical industry realizes that male circumcision often results in sexual dysfunction and they do not want to lose their cash cow.

Who is this guy?

Restoring Tally is just an ordinary guy who had to confront his prostate and circumcision problems. This site chronicles his journey in dealing with these issues. He has had prostate surgery and he is restoring his foreskin.